Pokemon Always
by Pokemon Poet
Summary: A New Pokemon Adventure in the Corusk Region. A New Pokemon Professor and a New Team bent on taking over the world. What does all of this mean? Find out now!
1. Pokemon Always Pilot: A Wayward Trainer

**Pokemon Always**

by the Pokemon Poet

Pilot Episode: A Wayward Trainer

The sun glimpsed through the clouds as a small boy made his way beyond the fences of Lerett Town where the grass grew thicker. At six years old, Hunter had an already beaking nose and eyes the color of a Dragonair. He walked his way along the dirt road, the sounds of Miltank mooing from back the way he'd come. He spotted a tree to climb in the distance and made his way toward the forest line.

As he approached, the tree grew larger in size as multiple Caterpie crawled along the sprawling branches. A few Pidgey were perched, having already enjoyed their meal for the day. Hunter noticed that one of them had a missing patch of feathers on its left breast. He smiled a little sadly and reached to stroke its feathers, though the Pidgey were too far above. The Pokemon were enjoying the day as much as Hunter, and in just as much harmony with each other as he was with them.

Hunter climbed up higher to where the Pidgey were, and watched as they flew off at his approach, wishing to be one with them. He sat up there until sunset, occasionally picking an apple from a close branch. They weren't quite ripe yet, but they tasted good anyway. As the sky grew pink with the approaching dusk, Hunter began to make his way down. His family would be worried, and dinner would be ready by now.

As he descended, the crackle of the branches grew more ominous. Gligar and Golbat began to appear, and Hunter hurried as he climbed down to the bottom. Two branches from safety on the ground, a buzzing coursed through the air. Hunter looked around. Nothing. But the buzzing grew louder.

He dropped from the high branch straight to the ground, twisting his ankle inward as a sprain. He let out a cry. The buzzing grew louder and a yellow blur flashed in the silhouette made from the golden sunset. Beedrill.

Hunter pushed off the ground, wincing with the pain from his ankle and backing away from the tree. The lone Beedrill drifted down from the second branch to hover five feet from him. It turned its head, eyes glinting auburn in the dusk. Hunter continued backing away. The Beedrill buzzed louder and flapped its wings rapidly. It began to attack.

First a Twin Needle that landed on the ground just in front of Hunter. Then, an overshot poison sting. Hunter tripped on an exposed tree root and fell on his back, unable to scream. The Beedrill began another poison sting.

The tall grass rustled and a Pidgey flew from the dust to Tackle the Beedrill. Hunter noticed the missing feathers on its left breast. The Beedrill was knocked off course, but only became more infuriated, focusing on the Pidgey.

The Pidgey used a Sand-Attack and Gust, but missed the Beedrill's wings. The Beedrill Tackled Pidgey and knocked it to the ground beside Hunter. The boy held the Pidgey in its arms, shuddering as the Beedrill prepared another Twin Needle. The Pidgey burst out of Hunter's arms and Pecked the Beedrill's right stinger, breaking it a fraction. The left caught Pidgey in its side.

The Beedrill buzzed away into the forest and the Pidgey let a loud "POOOOOOOOOL!" Hunter stood, wincing again, clutching the Pidgey to his chest. He hobbled as fast as he could back to Lerett Town, where his mother and father were shouting for him about dinner.

The boys stood around Hunter after their Pokemon lecture, waiting for him to make his move.

"See boys," a plump kid said, "I told you he doesn't have the instincts to be a Trainer. His stance is all wrong and he doesn't have the nerve." The boy took a step forward. "That's why I'm gonna be the best."  
"Not a chance, Fern." Sweat was starting to break on Hunter's forhead, running down to his eyes. His shifted his feet backward, hands tensed at his sides.

"Is that sweat or are you crying, Bird Boy? I'd be nervous, too, in a battle with me. I don't need Pokemon to prove I'm stronger.

Fern threw a punch that Hunter ducked under, but the follow-up caught Hunter in the gut and he gasped. He fell to the ground with the weight of Fern on top of him, pressing his face and his arms into the rocks and dirt.

The wind picked up and a loud "Prooooo!" rang through the sky. Fern look up.

The Pidgey crashed into Ferns stomach, beak and wings beating down the attack. Hunter wiped his face and looked on his hand to see blood. Fern was shrieking in fear, scratches running down his arms as he held them up to fend off his attacker.

"Enough, Wayward. Leave him be." Hunter stood, holding his ribs slightly.

The Pidgey looked at Hunter, a twinkle in his eye. Hunter shook his head. "No, that's enough." Wayward flew onto the ground beside Hunter, staring across at the boys behind Fern.

"Some Trainer, Bird Boy. Can't even control a dumb Pidgey. There's no way you're making the League. Not a chance." He began to walk away, the other boys glaring at Hunter and Wayward before turning to follow Fern off.

"Thanks for that." Hunter stroked Waywards cheek feathers as the Pokemon crooned. The wings glistened in the sunlight, and began to turn white slowly, growing brighter. "WHAT?!" Hunter looked puzzled.

The light dissipated and a larger bird with red hair feathers flapped and cawed in front of Hunter. "Oh, wow! Evolution!" Wayward had become a Pidgeotto before his very eyes.

Behind the Lab where the lecture had been taught, a blue-haired man with spectacles smiled to himself. "This kid will be one of the Greats."


	2. Pokemon Always Episode 1: Chroma Aroma

Episode One: Chroma Aroma

The Pokemon Lab reflected the day out to the small pond where the duo was sitting. Hunter had packed a some fresh bottles of his parent's MooMoo Milk and some berries in his travel pack. The pond rippled with the movement of Whiscash and Barboach. Hunter unpacked the small lunch and smiled at his Pidgeotto.

"Well, Wayward. Today's the day. You'll officially be my first Pokemon. Now that I'm ten, I can get my Pokemon license." The bird pecked at the water before nuzzling into Hunter's black jacket. Wayward nipped at Hunter's fingers as the milk was opened.

"Haha. Good thing I remembered to get some of these." Hunter produced a pair of black gloves from his backpack and began to pull them on. "I guess evolved Pokemon are somewhat harder to control, even with time." He stood and grabbed a rock from the bank. He looked back at Wayward, who was clawing at the worms in the dirt. "Today is the day I start my journey to be a Pokemon Master."

Hunter threw the rock like a Pokeball toward the water. A wild Goldeen sprung out of the pond and knocked the rock down onto the ground. A bell resounded at the same instant, coming from the Pokemon Lab.

"Alright. Let's go."

Professor Fig was waiting at the entrance of the Lab, blue hair lining the back of his white coat, glasses smudged on one side. A small crowd was gathered with a few of them holding Pokeballs. His assistant Dira stood holding a clipboard in hand. She was already calling names.

"So, Perry's claimed a Charmander for his first Pokemon. Who's next? Let's see…Fern!"

Fern stepped forward and followed Professor Fig into the Lab

Of course Perry would've picked a Charmander. People always chose the fire type. Everyone wanted a Charizard. Everyone except Hunter. Still, which one to choose?

Ten minutes passed before the Professor returned, Fern holding a Pokeball high into the air as he trailed behind.

"That's right, everybody. Mudkip is mine! I can't wait to see this thing battle!" He stopped in front of Hunter, Wayward cawing lowly at the side. "So, decided on your week Pokemon, though I assume you're going to choose that stupid Pidgey. Am I right?"

"It's already evolved, Fern. He's already been trained."

Fern laughed. "If he's so well-trained, why don't we battle then? Let's see who's Pokemon is stronger!" He smirked.

Wayward flapped into the air and pecked at Fern's head. Fern stumbled backward, almost dropping his new Pokemon.

"Well-trained, huh? Maybe you should learn to keep that thing under control like I told you. It's not even worth training." Fern clenched a fist, but relaxed it when Professor Fig tapped him on the shoulder. Fig stared at Wayward for a second, then smiled. He looked toward Hunter.

"Ready for your first Pokemon?"

The inside of the Lab was metal all the way around. Professor Fig had a Pokemon incubation system installed next to the PC with eggs already beginning to crack. Past these, Hunter walked on while Wayward glided behind him.

The Professor walked back to an area containing a giant Pokeball shelf. There were labels with the Typings and owners of each Pokemon. Next to this was a table with three Pokeballs on it, and three gold-plated labels in front of them. A sign read "Hunter's Choice", with the three Pokemon's names listed on the labels: Tepig, Bulbasaur and Totodile.

Professor Fig walked to the edge of the table. "So, here are your choices. Do you have any preference?"

Hunter looked at the Pokemon names, thinking. He looked down at Wayward. "Well, I..uh.." He looked at the ground, kicking his feet on metal with a sound. "I think Wayward should be my first Pokemon."

Fig smiled. "You know, not every Trainer gets an evolved Pokemon as their first. In fact, most don't. It's something quite special." He patted Wayward on the head. "But he does seem to be quite fond of you. After all, it's been, what, four years?" The smile widened. Fig retrieved a Pokeball from his desk and a small handheld device that glowed a neon blue. He handed them to Hunter. "That Pokeball is empty. And this is your Pokenote. It's of my own design, a more advanced version of Professor Oak's Pokedex. It has everything you need in it: money log, the list of Pokemon you've seen and caught, a phone to call home, and some other bits of gadgetry. It's very user friendly. Gary should be able to explain how everything works."

Hunter wrinkled his face in thought. "Who's Gary?"

"Ah, yes. Gary is the operating system I designed for this machine. The Growth and Advancement of a Regional You. I admit, it's not the best name, but Professors of Pokemon have more pressing matters. Such as giving out Pokemon licenses. That Pokenote acts as yours." He checked his watch. "Now, I don't mean to press for time but…have you made your decision?"

"I have." Hunter's eyes were hard and strong. "Pidgeotto, I choose you." He held the Pokeball up, then knelt down to pet the bird. "Wayward." The bird looked up. "I choose you."

A "pyoooo" emanated from the bird, and then a bright light. The Pokeball didn't roll once. Hunter held his friend in his hand. "Together, we can make history." He began to walk towards the door.

"Oh, before you go." Professor Fig's eyes gleamed in the light. "Legally speaking, if I give you a license, I have to give you a Pokemon. Not one that you caught."

Wayward had been released from his Pokeball shortly after the announcement of Hunter's choice. Some Pokemon, the Professor said, didn't like to be kept in Pokeballs and that was not how Hunter wanted to start his adventure—at odds with his first Pokemon. He held the other Pokeball in his hand, looking at it.

 _I choose you. Bulbasaur._

It wasn't just because Fern had chosen a water type, which as his lectures had taught him would become a water-ground. Still, Fern bragging about his Pokemon had undoubtedly given Hunter the upper hand in his selection. But Hunter had been thinking about Bulbasaur since before Wayward had defended him from the Beedrill. He'd seen a Venasaur fighting a Salamence in the League one year—he didn't know why he'd remembered that match so much—but when Venasaur had fought, it never gave up, even when it lost. And it had loved its Trainer. You could've seen it in the eyes as it growled a soft defeat.

"So what do we do now, Wayward? I suppose we need to head through the forest to Bolen City. There's supposed to be a gym there, I think." Wayward gurgled his approval.

They walked down the road a few miles before sweat began to pour down Hunter's face. The summer heat was growing. It wasn't yet midday.

"How about some Milk?"

The forest edge extended in the direction they were headed, so Hunter threw his pack into the shade of a great tree and sat down, back cushioned, hands resting in the grass. He gave Wayward a spare handful of berries and drank a bit of milk before dozing off.

Hunter awoke to find the sun only slightly changed, but a breeze was blowing now. He grabbed his empty milk bottle and stuffed it into the bag. "Wayward." He whistled. "Ready to move on?" He heard Wayward cawing from somewhere nearby. He ducked through the trees, swiping branches from his path.

"Wayward, where are you, buddy?" _Pyaw_.

The trees opened up into a small clearing where Wayward was using Sand Attack on a man wearing a rainbow of colors on his jacket with a white bandana on his head. "Get off, you stupid bird." At his feet, cornered against a tree and whimpering, was a greenish-yellow mouse.

"But, that can't be a…" Hunter started. He pulled out the Pokenote.

Gary's voice rang out in a static-like hum. "Rattata. The mouse Pokemon. These Pokemon are foragers and often will eat whenever food is presented. Their teeth are sharp and perfect for breaking nuts or for engaging in battle."

"But why isn't it purple?" Hunter had seen Rattatta running through the grass back in Lerett Town.

"Some Pokemon are born with special pigmentation. These Pokemon are sometimes hunted and are much more skiddish."

Wayward was thrown to the ground. The man breathed heavy, clutching at his pecked arms. "What the hell do you think you're doing, kid? Don't you know who I am?"

"You're a poacher. A Pokemon game hunter." He recalled Wayward to his Pokeball with a red beam of light.

The man laughed, arm muscles bulging. "Not quite. I'm Raiden from Team Chroma."

"Team Chroma?"

The man stopped laughing. "Of course. We collect shiny Pokemon, only the rarest of the rare occurrences in the world. Sometimes even rarer than Legendary Pokemon. The furs and feathers fetch a nice price for clothing, while the scales work wonders for jewelry and art. But why am I talking to you about this? You're of no importance to me. Now stay out of the way." He reached for a rainbow Pokeball at his side.

Hunter took a step forward. "I don't think so. You let that Rattatata go right now!"

"Heh, you can't even pronounce its name correctly. Beating you should be chocolate covered Pokepuffs." He grabbed a different Pokeball. "Go, Teddiursa!"

"Go, Bulbasaur!"

The Trainers stood opposite each other as Teddiursa made the first attack. "Fury Swipes."

"Dodge it!" The claws hit the ground as Bulbasaur jumped backwards. "Now, Bulbasaur, use Tackle!" Bulbasaur charged forward as Teddiursa recovered and scratched at the air. "Leech seed!" A seed shot out from Bulbasaur's back and landed at Teddiursa's feet. The bear paused to look at it. Vines shot out of the seed and wrapped around Teddiursa. The Pokemon let out a cry.

"No, Teddiursa, use Fling!" Teddiursa grabbed the seed and tossed it at Bulbasaur, hitting the forehead. Bulbasaur growled.

Hunter screamed out, breathing rapidly. "Vine Whip."

Bulbasaur pushed itself away from the seed's vines and up to land at Teddiursa's back. Another Tackle. Teddiursa rolled on the ground. Raiden grimaced.

"Teddiursa, Sweet Scent." _Urse_ The bear complied and the smell of honey and flowers and smoked beef blew through the air. Hunter's mouth began to salivate.

"You may have gotten the best of me once, kid. But that's not happening again." Raiden's Pokeball opened and Teddiursa was pulled in. Raiden ran off into the forest, twigs crackling underfoot. The Rattatta bolted in the opposite direction.

"Good job, Bulbasaur! I suppose we should give you a name. After all, you are part of the family now. He looked at the grass patches moving delicately in the breeze. "Grasser's not bad." He laughed, as did Bulbasaur. "Grasser it is!"

They continued laughing, quieting only when they heard a rustle in the bushes. "Who's there?"

Another rustle from the other side, and the sound of a tree trunk breaking.


End file.
